Media device

Abstract

A portion of media content being outputted to a user by a media device is identified as follows. A user input is received from the user at the media device during the outputting of the media content. The user input denotes a current interest in the media content expressed by the user. An identifier of a portion of the media content corresponding to a timing of the user input is identified by the media device. The identifier is for locating associated content information held in a content identification database. In response to the user input, the media device uses the identifier to render accessible, to a secondary device available to the user, the associated content information.

1 . A media device comprising:
 a media output configured to connect to media output apparatus;   a media input configured to receive media content;   a media controller configured to output the media content to a user via the media output apparatus;   a control input configured to receive from the user a user input during the outputting of the media content, the user input denoting a current interest in the media content expressed by the user;   a content recognition module configured to determine an identifier of a portion of the media content corresponding to a timing of the user input, the identifier for locating associated content information held in a content identification database; and   a content engagement module configured, in response to the user input being received at the media device, to use the identifier to render accessible, to a secondary device available to the user, the associated content information.   
     
     
         2 . A media device according to  claim 1 , wherein the content engagement module is configured to render available to the secondary device the associated content information by:
 transmitting the identifier to the content identification database,   receiving, from the content identification database, the associated content information, and   transmitting the associated content information to the secondary device and/or to a remote memory location accessible to the secondary device for storing thereat.   
     
     
         3 . A media device according to  claim 1 , wherein the content engagement module is configured to render available to the secondary device to the associated content information by:
 transmitting the identifier to the secondary device and/or to a remote memory location accessible to the secondary device for storing thereat, so that the secondary device can use the identifier to retrieve the associated content information from the content identification database.   
     
     
         4 . A media device according to  claim 1 , wherein the content engagement module is configured to render available to the secondary device to the associated content information by:
 transmitting the identifier to the content identification database in a message that identifies the secondary device and/or a remote memory location accessible to the user device, so as to cause the content identification database to transmit the associated content information to the secondary device and/or to the remote location.   
     
     
         5 . A media device according to  claim 2 , which is configured to receive login credentials from the user via the control input, log in to a remote computer system using the login credentials, thereby gaining access to the remote memory location, and cause the identifier and/or the associated information to be stored at the remote memory location whilst logged in to the remote computer system;
 whereby the identifier and/or the content information stored at the remote memory location is accessible to the secondary device when the secondary device is logged in to the remote computer system using the same login credentials.   
     
     
         6 . A media device according to  claim 1 , which comprises a processor, wherein the content recognition and engagement modules are code modules a communication client for effecting communication events via the network and the processor is configured to execute the communication client. 
     
     
         7 . A media device according to  claim 1 , wherein identifier of the media content comprises:
 an inaudible code extracted from audio data of the portion of the media content by the content recognition content,   a fingerprint of the portion of the media content generated, by the content recognition module, by processing the portion of the media content,   a timestamp identifying a timing of the portion of the media content,   a channel identifier of a television channel broadcasting the media content, and/or   metadata received with the media content.   
     
     
         8 . A media device according to  claim 1 , wherein the associated information comprises information about an entity appearing in and/or described by the portion of the media content 
     
     
         9 . A media device according to  claim 1 , which is a television, set-top box, or games console. 
     
     
         10 . A media device according to  claim 9 , wherein the user input is inputted by the user using a dedicated remote control or dedicated game controller of the media device. 
     
     
         11 . A method of identifying a portion of media content being outputted to a user by a media device, the method comprising:
 during the outputting of the media content, receiving from the user at the media device a user input, wherein the user input denotes a current interest in the media content expressed by the user; and   determining by the media device an identifier of a portion of the media content corresponding to a timing of the user input, the identifier for locating associated content information held in a content identification database;   wherein, in response to the user input, the media device uses the identifier to render accessible, to a secondary device available to the user, the associated content information.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 accessing, by the secondary device, the associated content information rendered accessible to the secondary device by the media device;   controlling, by the secondary device based on the associated content information, a display of the secondary device to display a display element representing the associated content information.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the accessing and controlling steps are performed by code executed on a processor of the secondary device. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the code forms part of a communication client executed on the secondary device for effecting communication events via the network. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the communication client controls the display to display at least one notification in a notification area of the display, wherein the at least one of the notifications represents:
 a contact of the user, 
 a contact request sent to the user from another user, 
 a communication event previously conducted between the user and another user; 
 wherein the display element that represents the content information is also a notification that is displayed in the notification area of the display by the communication client. 
 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the media device receives login credentials from the user, logs in to a remote computer system using the login credentials, thereby gaining access to the remote memory location, and causes the identifier and/or the associated content information to be stored at the remote memory location whilst logged in to the remote computer system;
 wherein the secondary device receives the same login credentials from the user, and logs in to the remote computer system using the login credentials so as to gain access to the associated content information location for outputting to the user.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the secondary device is not logged in when the identifier and/or the associated content information is stored at the remote memory location. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the associated content information identifies an entity appearing in and/or described by the portion of the media content, and the display element is an option selectable by the user at the secondary device to:
 initiate a communication event between the user and the entity using the secondary device,   initiate a payment procedure so as to effect a payment to the entity using credit that is electronically stored within the communication system in association with a user account of the user, or   transmit details of the user that are stored within the communication system to the entity.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the secondary device is a smartphone, tablet, laptop computer, or desktop computer. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program product comprising code stored on a computer readable storage medium and configured to implement the method according to  claim 11  when executed on a computer.